A new study from Parks Associates shows how many internet households in the United States now own a smart TV or a streaming media player.
Parks Associates surveyed 8,000 households for their Battle of the Platforms: Assessing Connected TV Ecosystems study and discovered that 68% of those households now own a smart TV and 46% own a streaming media player. This is an increase from past studies; in 2020, 54% and 42% owned these devices, respectively
The study shows that among those who were surveyed, they watched 35.6 hours of video per week on average across all viewing devices – TV, computer, mobile phone, and tablet – with over half of those viewing hours (20.4 hours) on a TV set. Those surveyed in Q1 2024 consumed an average of 8.1 hours of video on a smartphone per week and 3.1 hours of video on a tablet, excluding social video sources.
The study was released ahead of the research firm’s Future of Video event at the Marriot Marina del Rey from Tuesday, November 19 through Thursday, November 21. The three-day conference will address the various connected TV (CTV) platforms on the market today and the impact on consumer habits for viewing video.
Future of Video will have two sessions, The Future of TV: OTA, vMVPDs, and Next-Gen TV” and “Interactive Video: Next Gen of Revenue Streams.” The sessions will focus on new strategies to capture the modern streaming video viewer, with insights from the leading executives.
“TVs are still the central viewing device for US households,” said Sarah Lee, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. “Samsung leads as the most commonly used smart TV operating system (OS) by a substantial margin. While smart TVs remain the preferred streaming video platform for the TV, streaming media players continue to be a practical, convenient, and cost-effective solution for a consistent experience, and brands can use them as springboards to promote their own content channels and smart TV models.”
As more cord cutters transition from traditional TV options, streaming media devices, and smart TVs are becoming a must to watch shows, movies, sports, and more. Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and other compatible devices offer users many choices to stream their favorites for free on ad-supported platforms. Devices like the Google TV 4K Streamer have made it easier than ever to watch crystal clear.
Pluto TV, an industry leader in FAST content, recently simplified its on-demand section to help users find what to watch in its library of titles. A recent study from Nielsen’s Gracenote gave a deep dive into the libraries of six popular SVOD services and found:
- Amazon Prime Video: Distributes over 72% of the movies and 57% of the TV shows among the five SVOD services.
- Apple TV+: Features three times more Animated and Children’s genre programming than other providers.
- Disney+: Boasts that 78% of its content is exclusive to its platform.
- Netflix: Leads in global content, with 68% of its offerings produced outside the U.S.
- Paramount+: Has the highest percentage of Comedy genre content at 22.4%.
In addition to the large libraries of content just a fingertip away, many paid streaming platforms have discounts to attract new subscribers. Four of the biggest multi-channel live TV providers, Fubo, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV are offering a discount, with some including a free trial. With the holiday season arriving around the corner, subscribers can save by watching live TV for under $60 for the first month.
Even traditional TV brands like the satellite giant DIRECTV have stepped into the FAST world with the launch of MyFree DIRECTV earlier this week. These changes in viewing habits highlight the importance of smart TVs, streaming media players, and other web-connected devices in today’s media landscape.